King Javan's court is crowded with courtiers and other worthies, but only a handful are truly significant. The unctuous Archbishop Hubert and Lord Rhun the Ruthless are united only in their disdain for Javan's rule, but that leads to the plot that ultimately brings him down. Some major characters from the previous books appear only briefly here: Joram, Jesse MacGregor, Queron, Revan. At the story's end the latter two appear to have been killed at the baptismal lake. Joram and Jesse are among the few left as a saving remnant.

The most fully-explored character is Javan. He is a very sober sixteen-yearold, aware that any lapse in duty or demeanor can be dangerous. Although he has a crippled foot, he has learned to walk with scarcely a limp. Under his monastic disguise he kept the heart and bearing of a king. He shows this early on, when the...